Don LaFontaine, Voice Of Movie Trailers, Dies

September 2, 2008

Listen to the Story

text sizeA A A

September 2, 2008

Don LaFontaine, the man who popularized the catch phrase "In a world where..." and lent his voice to thousands of movie trailers, has died. He was 68. His agent said LaFontaine died Monday in Los Angeles from complications in the treatment of an ongoing illness.

MELISSA BLOCK, host:

You may not recognize his name, but you probably know his voice.

(Soundbite of movie trailer "The Simpsons Movie")

Mr. DON LaFONTAINE (Voice Actor): This summer, between honor and dishonor, between family and enemies...

(Soundbite of movie trailer)

Mr. LaFONTAINE: Rolling Stone says...

(Soundbite of movie trailer)

Mr. LaFONTAINE: Seeing it once is just not enough.

(Soundbite of movie "Borat")

Mr. SACHA BARON COHEN (Actor): (As Borat) High five.

(Soundbite of movie trailer)

Mr. LaFONTAINE: Indiana Jones is on the quest of a lifetime.

BLOCK: Don LaFontaine, the voice of more than 5,000 movie trailers, died Monday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was 68 years old.

Over three decades behind the microphone, LaFontaine turned trailers into cinematic events.

Here he is poking fun at himself in a recent commercial for GEICO car insurance.

(Soundbite of GEICO advertisement)

Ms. PAULA SALA: When the storm hit both our cars, it was totally underwater.

Mr. LaFONTAINE: In a world where both of our cars were totally underwater.

Ms. SALA: We thought it would take forever to get some help.

Mr. LaFONTAINE: But a new wind was about to blow.

BLOCK: Nobody could say it better than Don LaFontaine.

Copyright ©2009 National Public Radio®. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to National Public Radio. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.